Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut - make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law - cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. (10:34-36)There are number of situations right now with friends and family members that I would love to point out and/or fix for them, but I think I'm trying to be one of those well-meaning family members.
These verses remind me that Jesus is at work in each and every difficulty. He's using the circumstances to draw each of us to Himself. His purpose is larger than I can see, and my "help" may just be getting in His way and preventing us from feeling our need for Jesus.
And if I'm honest, I must recognize that, many times, my primary motivation for helping is selfish. I don't want to feel the pain of watching them suffer and will do anything to stop it.
"Over and over again, we try to be amateur providences in someone's life. We are indeed amateurs, coming in and actually preventing God's will and saying, "This person should not have to experience this difficulty." Instead of being friends of the Bridegroom, our sympathy gets in the way...You may often have to watch Jesus Christ wreck a life before He saves it." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His HighestLord, I pray You'll give me eyes to see where I'm being an amateur providence in someone else's life. Give me the discernment to know when to offer help and when to keep my mouth shut and just pray. Give me insight into my own motivations and self-control to obey Your direction. Father, You know the people I'm thinking about as I write this. I ask You to do whatever it takes to bring them to Yourself. May I not get in the way of Your will in their lives.
2 comments:
Wow, your post today struck a cord with me today. I missed the "I didn't come to make life cozy" bit. Sobering. I don't know where I get the idea that walking His walk should be easy and pain-free. But it always pops up at in opportune times and mocks me. Choosing to walk with Jesus for a lifetime is simple (He makes it painfully so), but it's Anyang but easy. And the kicker is can't walk this simple walk alone...it's impossible. "If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me." (Matthew 10:39 MSG)
I was also struck by the verse "Accepting someone's help is as good as giving someone help." Often I only want to be the helper, reaching out to others and minster to them, but not accepting when they want to minister to me. I think it is an issue of pride - wanting to pretend that I have it all together, when I do not. I want to be open to the giving and the receiving within the body of Christ.
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